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The passing of Apple Co-founder Steve Jobs on October 5, 2011 was a watershed moment for me. No matter which side we are on—the PC lovers or the Mac addicts—I think we all recognized the genius of this man.
Do you remember Apple Computers’ 1997 Think Different ad campaign? Narrated by Richard Dreyfus, it had actual footage of people in history who chose to break the rules every now and then.
The copywriters who produced this commercial were brilliant marketers. By using video of other people who ‘thought differently,’ like John Lennon, Albert Einstein and Jim Henson, they made us somehow feel that as Apple users, we were a member of that exclusive club.
And who wouldn’t want to enter that circle?
Here is the ad script:
Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in square holes.
The ones who see things differently.
They are not fond of rules and have no respect for the status quo.
You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify, or vilify them. But the only thing you can’t do is ignore them.
Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius.
Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.
We bloggers can be a crazy bunch, too. We also like to ‘think different’ from time to time.
In honor of bloggers everywhere, borrowing messages from this 15-year old campaign, here they are: 5 ways to shake up our blogs and rid ourselves of vanilla posts forever:
1. Be a rebel.
Now I’m not saying to take an anti-status quo stand just to be contrary, but go against the “thought leaders” when you feel strongly about something, like in this post, where I question the theory of ‘original content’ by telling my readers why it’s okay to be a copycat blogger.
Zig when everyone else is zagging. You may be surprised at the discussion you start (and at how many people actually agree with you).
2. See things differently.
Come at a post from a different perspective. How would a mechanic see your topic? What can Saturday Night Live’s Matt Foley, the motivational speaker who ‘lives in a van, down by the river, teach us about blogging? Or time management? Or sales?
Maybe Dr. Seuss has some blogging lessons for us.
3. Break the rules.
Who says you can’t write a post that is all questions?
Or go off topic when something important has happened in your life? Or how about devoting a whole post to recognizing someone who doesn’t get much attention?
4. Mix things up.
Try something new. Hey, you may bomb, but you’ll be in good company. Like most of the crazies throughout history, you’ll find some things work and some don’t. You just keep trying.
If you are a 1,000-word blogger, try saying it in one paragraph. Or go with images with short captions and make that your post.
Ask your readers to write your post for you. Pose a question and let them provide their answers in the comments. Take one of the most interesting comments and write a new post with that fresh angle.
5. Get a little ‘crazy.’
Does something bug you? Or make you sad? Blog about it.
Talk about a practice or strategy in your industry that drives you nuts. Tell us why. And what you would do differently. Or take something as common as the tragic misuse of the exclamation point and tell people how you really feel. Get a little crazy.
Come on. You know you want to.
What about you?
Do you ever shake things up on your blog?
Have you done any of these?
Do you get crazy in other ways?
This revised and updated post originally appeared on For Bloggers By Bloggers.
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Steve Jobs’ passing away seemed like a big fuss all over the world. But when Dennis Ritchie died, the founder of the C programming language, not much recognition has been given. Life is so unfair.
Allie Paterson recently posted..EcoTools & Earth Month – The Living Beautifully Community
Allie,
Isn’t it great that we have geniuses in many areas and such diverse fields? Nothing against people like Richie (that may be exactly your point because I didn’t know who he was). It’s just that perhaps, being a Mac addict, I recognized Jobs’s creative genius more readily because I am a long-time user of his product. But here I was talking not so much about Jobs, but that brilliant “Here’s to the Crazies” marketing campaign. Thanks for sharing here. : )
Judy Dunn recently posted..Eight Powerful Ways to Build a Loyal Readership for Your Blog
You’re such a genius, Judy! You’ve not only given blogging advice, but advice for writers and even advice for life!
1. Be a rebel.
We learn by imitation, but it’s when you stretch and take risks, the world opens up to you.
2. See things differently
Perspective is everything. When we step out of our narrow views in situations, new possibilities appear. Changing point of view can change your entire outlook
3. Break the rules
I’ve always loved and lived by the old saying “If you know the rules you can break them.” And I marvel at the people who successfully do that, whether in their writing or life.
4. Mix things up
In fiction, you want to change the pace. Different scenes require choosing different words and sentence structure. Our lives—at least mine, but I think I’m speaking for most of the world here—are a jumble of variety, and while you may mix things up here, Judy, we all know we’re going to get something fresh, original, fun, and friendly.
5. Get a little ‘crazy.’
You’re talking passion here. Writing about what moves you. Following your dreams. Yes, I’ve gotten a little crazy. I’m doing it now!
Thanks for the inspiration, and for following your own five blog shakers!
Okay, NOW I’m impressed. You get an A+ for applying all of these points to your own writing.
Wished we lived a little closer to each other. I’d love to have a writing pal like you around. : )
Judy Dunn recently posted..21 Things I Did to Get My Blog to Top 10 Status
Judy – you had me at the title and the content you delivered exceeded my expectation.
Love that #5 on your Insane Tips list to get noticed actually gives permission to go for crazy! A blog that pushes buttons due to passion makes my heart sing.
Thank you for modeling each of the tips for us. As I am preparing to really shake things up with my blog, I will use this as a guide to follow.
I am on a mission to change how people engage in teams and how we all play in the sandbox together. So me and the pink elephant I draw out of the corner will be on hand for some crazy rebellion!
Tammy Redmon recently posted..Are You Disrespecting Your Team?
Crazy is good. I like crazy.
Haha. You and that pink elephant still hanging around together? Are you doing group training/coaching right now? Cool.
Judy Dunn recently posted..How to Get More Blog Traffic from Pinterest: The Power of Photos
I dont’ remember if I already commented on FBBB but just in case: great post! And very good points. I would just say that sometimes being a rebel makes you feel so good. So good that you begin asking yourself why you didn’t do it before.
Interesting as while being a genius Steve Jobs has also been one of the biggest monopolizer of all times, probably even bigger than Bill Gates. Well, both of them are like child comparing them to Big G and FB.
Great post Judy.
Andrea Hypno recently posted..Intuition VS Sixth Sense
Okay, I suspected I would hear from you if I talked about Steve Jobs. : )
But nothing tops the Big G, right?
Judy Dunn recently posted..When Blogging Is Seriously Hard
The good thing about bad boys is that sooner or later they all get slammed. Hopefully before they make big damages.
Andrea Hypno recently posted..Five Tibetan Rites: Get Fit in 10 Minutes a Day
I know who the big “Z” is, but I seems to be a little fuzzy on Brin and Page. You are on same name basis with these people?
: )
Judy Dunn recently posted..What’s Under Your Bed?: 10 Monster Blogging Fears Worth Chasing Down
Well, being the founders of Google they are the direct responsibles for what Google is doing to the net as well as Zuckerberg is for FaceBook. Part is due to what users do with them, or allow them to do and part to what they do whatever users think. Which is their main way of doing thing.
Oh well as always the guilt has to be shared.
Andrea Hypno recently posted..Use the Real Mediterranean Diet for a Healthy Weight
Now you’d be expecting that I’d be saying ‘Hi’ from Downunder with a mention of that Wanton Exclamation Point…and to combine it with a pic of what looks very much like an emu’s head at the top of the post…well what more can I say but
I’M CRAZY!!!!!
AND proud of it.
Di Mace recently posted..The vomit first draft – with all its colourful content
Haha. And all that time, I thought it was an ostrich.
Well, about your crazy and proud of it, I detected that very soon after I met you. If you thought my story about giving the candles on my Thanksgiving table names and voices, so they begged for their lives when it was time to blow them out, thereby emotionally scarring my 3-year-old daughter for life, if you thought that was normal, well, I’ll just have to add you to my ‘crazies’ list. But crazy in a good way. : )
Judy Dunn recently posted..How to Get More Blog Traffic from Pinterest: The Power of Photos
*girlie giggles*(which are totally unsuitable for a gal my age). Honoured to be on your ‘crazies’ list! Now you’ve just gotta come downunder and visit so we can crazy up the Southern land….Aussies are very accepting of individuals!
Di Mace recently posted..The vomit first draft – with all its colourful content
Funny, I was going to apply for Darren Rowse of the Problogger fame, for his contest for bloggers. And I would have maybe been able to see YOU! But it was the exact same time I already had my airline tickets and registration to BlogWorld NYC. BUMMER.
Next time. : )
Judy Dunn recently posted.. Here’s to the ‘Crazies’: 5 Insanely Easy Ways to Get Your Blog Post Noticed
Goodie gumdrops. It’s a date.:)
I’m sure something will turn up to make it happen, when it’s meant to.
Di Mace recently posted..The vomit first draft – with all its colourful content
You know what’s crazier? Now my sister has suggested I call my Pinterest account ‘Wanton Exclamation’ ….ha ha how ironic.
Di Mace recently posted..The vomit first draft – with all its colourful content
Well, that Wanton Exclamation Point post is certainly making the rounds. : )
Another coincidence. I was contacted by The Boston Globe last week because, unbeknownst to me, one of their reporters reads my blog. He was working on a story about the misuse/overuse of punctuation marks and asked if he could interview me (having remembered my post). Lesson for me: never underestimate the power of a blog because you never know who is reading. We had a great chat and it was truly an honor to be thought of.
Judy Dunn recently posted..21 Things I Did to Get My Blog to Top 10 Status
Wooo Hoooooo, that’s awesome for you. Great to see your work making the rounds of all the right places. More than well deserved. And, it will all help for the book when it finishes gestation – BTW when is it due?
Di Mace recently posted..Who will teach me to write?
Thanks. Not sure. Working hard on it. And then there is the marketing.
So blessed to have an amazing editor working with me. I’m sure I will have status updates every now and then. : )
Judy Dunn recently posted..6 Interior Design Tips to Make Your Blog User-friendly
Judy, a day late but never short on attention span for your posts … well done as usual. I love the process of the blog. For me it’s like having my own personal magazine. I can add photography and graphics,have guests contributors or review books and movies … I can talk about anything and everything and never give advice (since I am not an expert at much but talking and writing) … I love tongue-in-cheek done about “industry news” or trends in publishing …
I mostly love having the sense of empowerment to make it creative and express a part of who I am … to take people on a tour of where I come from in one of my features City Scapes. Thus my moniker, inspired by one of the greatest cities (to my mind THE greatest city) in the world … New York City … and so I am fOIS In The City.
florence fois recently posted..Networking Demystified-with Amy Atwell …
Hey Florence,
Sounds like you have figured out your own way to have a successful blog. Each of our paths is different, and thank God for diversity.
Good to see you hear in the comments.
Judy Dunn recently posted..When Blogging Is Seriously Hard
….and I live down by the river in a van…..classic.
There is much more craziness going on in my head than ever makes it to paper. However, I tend to write whatever happens to be moving though my head at a particular time. I try not to be too predictable, but I probably won’t be too controversial either. I will ask questions though; sometimes a whole post….
Sorry you couldn’t comment at my place; probably because I have a ‘free’ wordpress acct. Thanks for trying though……..
Us bloggers to watch have to stick together, huh?
Bill Dorman recently posted..Being social in the witness protection program
Yeah, Chris Farley was the best.
I absolutely love your posts because you cut right to the chase. In 300 words or less, you get me thinking.
I’ll try to figure out that commenting thing. My other half, @bobwp, wondered if it could be a settings thing—that you maybe had it set to approve comments first. But it’s weird because I could swear that I was able to comment on your blog before. Strange.
Yes, we certainly need to stick together. Just know that even if I can’t comment, I AM reading your insightful posts. : )
Judy Dunn recently posted..What’s Under Your Bed?: 10 Monster Blogging Fears Worth Chasing Down
Hey Judy, I am not the only one huh? It’s an odd thing because there are bloggers who can leave comments and some that can’t on wordpress. Unfortunately their forums don’t have an answer other than don’t moderate comments. I’ve tried it but alas it doesn’t seem to help.
Ralph Dopping recently posted..How can comfort food teach us to act in our own best interests?
Hey Ralph,
I find the commenting problem happens more often on a WordPress.com blog, at least in my experience. I don’t know if they changed something recently, but a while back Twitter was all abuzz about what was happening with commenting on WordPress.com blogs.
We work mostly with clients with self-hosted sites, so don’t see that problem as much. Wish I knew the answer because it can be frustrating on both ends—reader AND blogger.
Judy Dunn recently posted..How to Get More Blog Traffic from Pinterest: The Power of Photos
Judy, I stumbled upon your blog and have been poking my nose around a bit and I have to say I just adore it! After reading this post I signed up for the updates and will be a more than regular follower/commentor.
This post resonated with me on so many levels, I cannot begin to explain. I’ve always had a fondness for the odd ones, the misfits and misunderstood. They’re the ones who silently contribute the most while being gently ignored.
My favorite muppets are Beaker and Animal. I loved the Elf who wanted to be a dentist in the Rudolph Christmas specials. I’d rather hang out with Ernie than Bert. I love Darth Vader and Batman. I prefer Daffy over Donald, Goofy over Mickey and hope one day the Coyote catches that Roadrunner.
Innovation, creativity and a disdain for conformity are the fuels that feed the engines of change.
Michael,
Glad you found the Cat’s Eye blog. Welcome!
Does that mean I can put YOU on my ‘crazy’ list, too? It’s true that the crazies and the misfits aren’t always recognized as the geniuses some of them are until way later.
I will have to say that, hands down, my favorite muppet is the hapless Beaker, too (with a close second to his colleague Bunsen Honeydew). I also love the Swedish Chef. I’m feeling a “How to Blog like the Muppets” post coming on. : )
Judy Dunn recently posted..How to Get More Blog Traffic from Pinterest: The Power of Photos
Judy, it takes some schmarts to tease those tips from that ad. Nice.
I have a lot of crazy stuff rolling around in this old bean some of which probably shouldn’t be on (virtual) paper. I love the ideas about the format. Just questions? Good one. Using our creativity to chnage it up is a great idea.
Thhhhhhhhhhanks…..
Ralph Dopping recently posted..How can comfort food teach us to act in our own best interests?
Nice to see you here, Ralph. Hope you are enjoying your weekend and glad you took something from this post.
Judy Dunn recently posted..What’s Under Your Bed?: 10 Monster Blogging Fears Worth Chasing Down
Yes Judy by all means add me to the list of ‘crazy’. I’ll do my best to maintain and uphold the virtues as outlined in the Manifesto.
Statler and Waldorf (hecklars from the balcony) are faves of mine as well. Something oddly comical about grumpy old men spewing criticisms from afar.
I currently don’t have a blog but am currently in the process of getting a wordpress account (as we speak) to get started (thanks in part to this site and your “voice”)but I do have a question about finding my niche.
Do you have any advice on how to discover your own niche? I’ve come down with what I like to call information constipation which has led to over analysis paralysis. I can’t decide on a singular topic because I have so many things I’m interested in.
Any thoughts, advice or guidance would be very much appreciated.
Thanks, Michael
You don’t need a niche to be a successful blogger.
Jack recently posted..You Can’t Break A Broken Heart
Michael,
I hear this question a lot and, actually, Jack (below) is right. You don’t HAVE to have a niche. It worked very well for me when I nichified and I was just sharing my own experience.
A blog is a strange animal and people blog for so many different reasons. Mine started out as a way to build credibility and court leads and clients for our marketing business. Now that I’ve moved to the goal of author, I’m looking to build an audience /fan base for my books and get the attention of industry professionals (other writers, as well as editors and agents). And that is how I caught the attention of an agent who is willing to look at my manuscript. So first you need to decide what your goal is.
Hope this isn’t too confusing. : )
Judy Dunn recently posted..How to Get More Blog Traffic from Pinterest: The Power of Photos
Breaking the rules of blogging in 7 easy steps will teach why content is king and how run on sentences can be your path to success or not.
I always think of Steve Jobs as being technology’s Voldemort.
Jack recently posted..The Problem With Public School
Ah well, we all knew you were a rule breaker, my friend. That was the whole point of this post: to “suss out” all the crazies.
Steve Jobs just seems to hit a nerve with some people. Voldemort? That’s hilarious. I’m enjoying getting to see how your mind works.
: )
Judy Dunn recently posted..What’s Under Your Bed?: 10 Monster Blogging Fears Worth Chasing Down
Hey Judy,
Thanks for the info/help. Not confusing at all.I think I think too much and that’s my problem. (as I think writing this..) Seriously though, I’m someone who needs to get all the information prior to making a choice and THAT’s my problem. I just need to get writing/blogging and not worry so much about the framework. Can’t be a ‘crazy’ if I’m following a manual right?
Thanks as well Jack. Just came from your blog & will be signing up soon.
Happy Sunday everyone!
Cheers!
Michael
So, the old analytical mind, huh? I finally found that just jumping in was the best decision I could have made. And I go by my blog-as-lab theory. You learn very quickly what works and what falls flat.
Judy Dunn recently posted..What’s Under Your Bed?: 10 Monster Blogging Fears Worth Chasing Down
Hi Judy. I loved this post. Here’s to the crazy ones indeed! I like to apply these guidelines to my own writing – so why hasn’t it occurred to me to apply them to my blog? Will be thinking about things differently now!
Lesley McKenna recently posted..Dreams: A Writer’s Treasure Chest.
Writing, blogging—craziness is just good all the way around. : )
Judy Dunn recently posted..How to Get More Blog Traffic from Pinterest: The Power of Photos
I feel that you have written great ideas here. I will apply these guidelines to my own writing. Iam sure it is going to work. Keep sharing!!!